The main regions of Alaska divided up, and special places
Landscape photography in Alaska poses some interesting “angle of light” dynamics. Because the location of the setting sun is continually changing, seeking a photographic angle perpendicular to the sun becomes restrictive to a certain orientation, and time of year. For example, midnight golden light in the arctic shines out of the north, rather than the…
The season of spring is distinctly noted in the images, as the color phase of the Rock ptarmigan in conjunction with the new green shoots on the plants are telling signs. This bird staked out a territory near our camp along the Nigu river, and made his calls frequently in quest of a mate. We…
I spent 10 days on a river trip in Alaska’s arctic, beginning on the Nigu river, which means “rainbow” in Inupiaq. The Nigu flows north out of the Brooks Range, with its headwaters located in the Gates of the Arctic National Park. It then flows through the National Petroleum Reserve, where it joins the Etivluk…
If you are a bird, the condition of your feathers means everything. And so the process of preening is a continual one. It is also at this stage that a bird can ingest oil and other contaminants that may adhere to their feathers in polluted waters. This Surfbird (Aphriza virgata), was one of thousands along…
The Copper River Delta in eastern Prince William Sound, serves as an important refueling stop for the shorebirds that migrate along the western coast of the US. Hundreds of thousands of birds congregate here in early May and spend a few days on average feeding on the rich inter tidal shores before journeying on to…
FINALLY! A continual source of frustration with my previous blog platform was the very small photos afforded in their presentation. As a photographer, who appreciates big images, it drove me nuts. So welcome to a new blog, a new space, with much better customization and options for larger photos, that one can truly enjoy. I…
Arrigetch Peaks of the Brooks range, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska Canon 5D Mark II, 24-105mm IS L (35mm) 1/1250 sec @ f 8, ISO 400 I’ve long wanted to see and photograph the Arrigetch Peaks of the Brooks range, and a recent visit only increased my desire to return for a more…
Caribou on the mountain ridges of the Brooks range–all the little brown dots in the foreground, I’m guessing perhaps 1000 in this group.Click on the image to see it larger. Thanks to a generous friend, colleague, pilot, Hugh Rose, I spent an afternoon flying over the Brooks range looking at caribou along the mountain ridges.…
Truckers travel the Haul road north of the Brooks range, arctic, Alaska.Canon 1Ds Mark III, 500mm f4L IS, 1/500 sec @ f8, ISO 400 The James Dalton Highway was built as an access road to the Arctic ocean during the days of the of the Trans Alaska Pipeline construction. It still serves the main purpose…
Bull Muskox in blowing snow Canon 1Ds Mark III, 500mm f4.0L IS, 1/500 sec @ f7.1, ISO 400 I just returned from a week of photography in Alaska’s arctic. Surprisingly, late March and April still deliver significant sub zero temperatures in the far north, even as the sunlight rushes back at a rapid pace. I’m…